Maintaining soil fertility and reducing soil erosion
Soil fertility is maintained through four-year crop rotation, including potatoes, wheat, sugar beet and barley, with spring canola used as a green manure crop. The risk of surface erosion has been reduced by 90% through cross-border formation at planting and ridging.
Using certified, healthy seed potatoes
These potatoes are free from virus and bacterial diseases, deliver early seeding vigor, superior stand establishment, greater harvest ability, and high yield potential.
Following the principles of disease and resistance management
This has included applying the Bayer CropScience product Monceren to control Rhizoctonia; using healthy, certified seed potatoes and Phytophthora-resistant cultivars; and applying four fungicides with six different modes of action to control Phytophthora.
Minimizing the side effects of farming practices on neighboring crops
The impact on neighboring crops has been effectively limited by minimizing surface erosion and drift through the use of cross-border, anti-erosion techniques at planting and ridging, and anti-drift nozzles in combination with applications at low-wind speeds guided by local weather forecasts.
Harvesting and storing potatoes to preserve their high quality
This goal is achieved through enhancing skin setting 2-3 weeks before harvesting through chemical desiccation; mechanical harvesting of firm-skinned potatoes in dry weather at temperatures of at least 15° C.; gentle handling with falling heights of less than 5 cm to prevent bruising; and ideal storage conditions for up to 8-9 months after harvesting in a well-insulated room at 4° C.
